Camping

1frugaldreams

Hello All,

My family is going on a week long trip to Yellowstone (Awesome!) and I'm looking healthy food ideas for our meals and snacks. We tend to be really chip, hot dog, steak and potato salad type people. That's fine for a night as an occasional treat but for a week we need to try and keep it fairly healthy.

Do any of you have some go to meals or snack that you like over and above the cooler full of fruit and veggies?

Thanks!

ShannonMpls

lunches are usually hummus and veggies with crackers or pita; pad thai pitas (peanut butter, sriracha, grated carrots, cucumber, cilantro - don't knock it till you try it!). they pack well for hikes.

dinner is paella (shrimp, sausage, vegetable), burritos (meat, beans, fajita veg), fish with quinoa/veggies. we very often roast vegetables in foil packets over the fire (sweet potatoes, onion, carrots, broccoli all work well) to have with sausages or hot dogs.

Generally, I don't focus on calorie counting while we're camping. I stay very active (20,000 steps a day minimum) and make sure to eat fruits, veggies, and protein. And beer. That's a camping food group.

have a great time!

cwolfman13

For one thing, I don't overly concern myself with calories, etc when I'm camping...when I'm camping I'm rarely sitting down...I'm hiking, I'm fishing, I'm putting this up or taking that down and otherwise almost constantly moving save for the last couple hours of the evening while I lounge around the fire with a beer or a glass of wine. Truth be told, I almost always lose some weight during a camping trip...even with my beer consumption, my intake doesn't keep up with my activity.

Our meals aren't markedly different than they are at home. We always throw something on the grill, whether that be a steak (there is nothing "unhealthy" about eating a steak at all), chicken, or fish. We serve that up with a veggie side of some sort and then usually some rice, pasta, or potatoes just like we would at home...and again...nothing inherently "unhealthy" about any of that.

Lunches are usually on the go as we are usually out on the trail or on the river or whatever by then...usually just some sandwiches and fruit and some trail mix for an extra boost. Camping breakfasts tend to be large as they are going to provide the nutritional foundation and energy for the days activities...usually eggs, bacon, hash-browns, and some fruit...I also have a low sodium V8 every morning just like at home.

Snack wise we keep some chips around (chips can absolutely be part of a nutritious and well balanced diet) and lots of various fruits and nuts and the like.

Really, it is important to realize that most things you consume can be part of an overall healthy and well balanced diet...there is more to nutrition than just veggies and fruit; these are important, but so are fats and proteins. It's important to look at your diet (whether you're camping or just hanging out at home) as a whole rather than obsessing over individual food items and demonizing certain foods, groups of foods, and certain macro-nutrients.

Get out there and hit the trail and have fun.

rmdaly

For breakfast, you can make oatmeal (regular or steel cut oats) and take stuff for toppings - raisins, applesauce, maple syrup, craisins, nuts, brown sugar, coconut, etc. Everyone can make what they want.

Take instant pancake mix and add canned pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice and brown sugar for breakfast. Or add bananas and nuts to pancake mix.

CitizenXVIII

Food bags or small containers of turkey jerky and nuts. Quest bars (really any bar of your choice, that would be mine). Hmmmm... dry cereal. Raisins.

jessilyn76

I would definitely looking up healthy foil dinners on Pinterest!! There are tons of great ideas!!!

LadyGrey75

..... And beer. That's a camping food group.
I am so glad someone else thinks of this as a food group :-)

1frugaldreams

Thanks All! I forgot about Pintrest! I will have to head over there ASAP! Thanks again!

adstott

I camp all the time this past weekend we did a bigger breakfast and then skimmed over lunch and then had a normal dinner. My meals aren't really anything different then what I would make and eat at home. I just made sure everything was in range and if I thought I would go over I went on an extra long walk to make sure if I did I covered for it. Camping can bring out the worst eating habits in myself so I had to really watch myself.

moondazed

Bumping because I'm going camping next weekend and need ideas.

I usually bring nuts, oatmeal, protein bars, fruits, seeds, and salads in jars!